LNP still hopeful of taking Katter's seat

The Liberal National Party has cracked the Katter stronghold over the seat of Kennedy in North West Queensland, and with 70 percent of the vote counted, it's still not certain that Bob Katter will be re-elected.

LNP candidate Noeline Ikin has so far out polled Mr Katter in the primary vote by 10 per cent, but according to the ABC's election calculator, he's still ahead on preferences.

The Katters have held the seat of Kennedy since 1966, except three years when Labor held the seat from 1990 to 1993.

Mrs Ikin believes voters are ready for change.

"Well, the feeling we had on the ground was really good, there was a sense of people looking for something different.

"Our politics have probably been bringing up a lot of what the problems are. People were looking for solutions and a positive plan forward. It was just a very local campaign, very grassroots."

She also says KAP's preference deals contributed to the swing against him.

"The Katter Party did preference Labor in the Senate and it upset a lot of people, right across Queensland, right across the country, and there were people who wanted to make it very clear how they felt, and that's what they did."

“The decision by the Katter Australia Party to preference Labor did not go down well with traditionally conservative voters in the seat of Kennedy.”

Mr Atkinson was one of the cattlemen who recently headed to Canberra to plead the case of the live export industry.

The group was supported by Bob Katter, but Mr Atkinson says that wasn't enough to convince him to vote for the long-serving member.

"Noeline Ikin is a person who really has her feet on the ground. She relates really well to the community and she understands all the issues that relate to the bush."

Mr Atkinson says it is now up to the Abbott Government to appoint an agriculture minister who understands what a difficult time farmers across the country are facing.

"It will and it must recognise a lot of the primary industries are struggling through lack of profitability. Things like drought, and the high dollar and the high cost of processing are forcing really good producers into financial difficulty."